Mechanically-refrigerated cabinet



' June 5, 1928.

J. R. REPLOGLE MECHANICALLY REFRIGERATED CABiNET 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan; 28, 1927 INVENTOR. 1757121 1Z13q970g7e RH E A TTORNE Y.

June 5, 1928.

IECHANICALLY RBFRIGERATED CABINET File d Jan. 28. 192? 2 sneets sneet 2 III I III J J mmvrox 70 7222 KRp70 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 5,

UNITED STATES I 1,672,829 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. BEPLOGLE, OI DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRIC REFRIGERATION CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 01 MICHIGAN.

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Application fled January as, 1927. we no. name.

- This invention relates to mechanically refrigerated cabinets of the type in whichdifferent ranges of temperature are maintained in a plurality of food storage compartments. I An object of this invention 1s to provide a mechanically refrigerated cabinet for the stora e of food and the like in which the circu ation of a heat absorbin fluid contacting with a cooling unit and d contamers in a plurality of compartments is controlled to respectively regulate the temperature maintained in the different compartments.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanically refrigerated cabinet of the multiple communicating compartment type havingla heat absorbing fluld circulating throu the communicating compartments an in contact with acoolin unit, with a manually operated valve mec anism for controlling the fiow of the heat absorbing fluid from one compartment to the other to regulate the temperature maintained in one of said compartments.

These and other objectswill be more apas parent 'as the description progresses, in which like characters deslgnate like arts in the drawings illustrating a preferre' embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a view partly in section showing the brine tank construction and the arrangement of the evaporator with respect to the food storage receptacles. f Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken a on the line 2 -2 of Fi Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are detail sectional views of the valve structure taken substantially on the lines 33, 4-4 and 5-15 of Fig. 2.

The cabinet structure hereinafter de- 0 scribed in detail, and with which my invention is associated, is especially adapted for the storage'qf ice cream, bottled liquids and the like. The cabinet. comprises the bottom wall 10 and the side walls 11, preferably constructed of insulating material, and

which are covered externally with metal covers and lined on the inside with a metal lining 12, preferably a non-corrosive material. The top wall 13 is secured in any suitable manner to the side walls and is covered with a metal cover 14, preferably of Monel metal which is non-corrosive and very suitable for cabinet structures of this character. Supported within the cabinet is aclosed tank 15 containing a brine or other suitable heat paratus 'nects compartments 7 These openings permit the brine to circulate tion wall 16 which divides the tank into two compartments A and B. A cooling element oreva-porator C is arranged to extend within the compartment A and the fluid therein, and is connected in circuit with a conventional ty e of mechanical refrigerating ap- Fnot shown).

This cabinet is constructed to permit the storage of foods, which are best preserved by' being maintained at different temperatures, such .as ice cream, liquid bottled goods and the like. One or more open top food storage sleeves or receptacles 18 are arranged to extend within the tank and register with openings -in the, top wall, these openings being closed by the covers 19 so that access may be easily had to the interior of the food storage receptacles when the covers are removed. The heat absorbing fluid, preferably cold brine, is arranged to be circulated through the compartments A and B and arrange to contact with the single cooling unit so as to permit both compartments to be chilled. Preferably the so cooling unit is positioned within one of these compartments, the drawings showing the evaporator C solidly sup orted within thecompartment A. Obvious additional partitions can be used when ad itiona-l compartments are required. i In order to regulate the temperature of the compartment B the circulation of the brine from one compartment to the other is partment B to compartment A. The more heat units that are permitted to flow from compartment B to compartment A, the lower will be the temperature within the compartmentB. The partition 16 is provided with a permanent opening 20 therethrough along the bottom edge for connecting compartment A with compartment B, and near the top edge of the partition wall 16 the sleeve or tube 21, preferably circular, in cross section, is soldered or otherwise secured in place providing a passagewaywhich conand B near the'top.

from one compartment to another. The

partition wall 16 is preferably constructed of metal panels 16' and- 16 s aced apart to provide a dead air space there tween, which serves to restrict the conduction of heat through the wall. Fillers 16 may be inserted between the spaced metal panels to prevent the pressure of the brine from buckling the metal panels 16 and 163, thus serving to maintain a unlform spaclng of the panels of the wall structure. These spaced members are preferably constructed of insulating material such as wood. In addition, the material of WhlCh the wall panels are constructed may be one of low heat conductivity to further restrict the conduction of heat through the wall. Plvoted within the tubular sleeve 21 is a butterfly valve 22, this valve being secured to the valve stem 28 extending vertically upward and terminating in the handle 24 exteriorly of the cabinet, which permits the butterfly valve to be manually adjusted from without the cabinet for controlling the 'circulation of the brine.

The operation of the temperature control mechanism is as follows:

When the valve is open, the chilled brine in compartment A passes through the opening 20 into the compartment B and as the brine in compartment B warms up by absorbing heat units from the storage receptacles contained within the compartment .B the warmer brine will rise to the ,to and flow through the tubular sleeve 21 and back into the upper part of the compartment A, where it is then rechilled and recirculated. To vary the temperature within compartment B the valve will be actuated to partially close the passageway 21, thereby partially shutting off the ,flow of warm brine through this passageway. As a result fewer heat units will be permitted to flow through the passageway, as the flow of the brine Will be restricted. The valve thus controls the circulation of the brine so as to regulate the temperature within compartment B,.depending upon the class of goods whichare to be' stored within the food 'storage receptacles contained within the compartment.

Thezfood'storage receptacles or sleeves 18 within the compartment A are preferably arranged tohold brick ice cream, while the food storage receptacles ,in compartment B arepreferably arranged to contain bulk ice cream, which is kept at a higher temperature than. the'brick ice cream. Control of the refrigerating apparatus may be adjusted 'so as to maintain a very low temperature within the compartment A, as the brine within this compartment is in direct contact with the cooling element or evaporator. By the mechanism which controls the circulation of the brine, the temperature ofthe brine within compartment B is maintained higher than in compartment A, the temperature within compartment B being thus regulated by the manually operated control mechanism.

Obviously, the number of food storage re- 1. In a mechanically refrigerated cabinet,

a single closed tank containing a heat absorbing fluid and provided with a partition wall dividing the tank into a plurality of adjoining compartments, said partition wall being provided with openings directly therein and adjacent its lower edge and its u er edge, thereby permitting the heat absor ing fluid to circulate from one compartmentto the other, a heat transfer element extendin into one of said compartments and the fluid therein, and means for varying the size of the u per openin in said partitiontocon- 2 trol t e quantity of flow of the heat absorb-.

'in'g fluid therethroughto regulate the temperature within the compartment containing the food storage receptacles, said means being disposed closel ad acent the opening. 2. In a mechanica ly refrigerated cabinet,

a unitary closed tank containing a heat absorbing fluid and provided with a partition wall dividing the tank into a plurality of vadjoining com artments, said artition wall being provide with openings irectly there in and ad'acent its lower edge and another opening a jacent its upper edge, thereby ermitting the heat absorbing fluid to circu ate from one compartment to the other, a heat transfer element extending 'into orie of said compartments and the fluid therein, and a butterfly valve adjacent the upper opening and manually o erable from an exterior oint of the cabinet or controllin the quantity of flow of the heat absorbing fluid through the openings in said partition wall to regulate the temperature within the compartment 7 containing the food storage receptacles.

3. In a mechanically refrigerated cabinet,

a unitary closed metallic tank ada ted to contain a heat absorbing fluid, metal ic par tit-ions directly within and dividing said tank into a plurality of adjoining compartments, said partitions having apertures directly thcrein and adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof, a valve connected with one of said partitions to control the circulation of fluid through the opening adjacent the upper edge thereof, means for operating said valve extending. externally of said tank, and a mechanicallyrefrigerated heat transfer element in one of the compartments.

4. In a mechanically refrigerated food storage'cabinet, a single closed tank adapted to contain a heat absorbing fluid, partitions formed by spaced metallic plates dividing for controlling the assageof fluid through said tank into a plurality of adjoining comthe u per opening tfierein, means for o eratpartments, said artitions having apertures ing-t e valve, and a mechanically re erextending theretiirough adjacent the upper ated heat transfer element "extending into 5 and lower edges thereof, said apertures perone of said compartment v mitting the circulation of the heat absorbing In testimony whereof, I hereunto am: my fluid between adjacent compartments, a butsignature. terfiy valve carried by one of said partitions J om: R. REPLOGLE. 

